Remote notification of communications

ABSTRACT

A remote call notification system for incoming calls to a wireline telecommunications device. The system includes a switch, a service control point, an intelligent server, and a monitoring module all in communication with each other. The remote call notification is transmitted to a remote communication device such as a PC, an interactive pager, and a mobile phone. The call notification includes a calling number, the name of a calling party, time and date identifiers, status identifiers that provides a real-time status of the incoming communication, a disposition identifier, and a priority identifier. A remote call notification method including detecting an incoming communication to a subscriber&#39;s wireline communication device, creating a remote call notification, assigning an access address associated with a remote communication device, and forwarding the remote call notification to the remote communication device.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.10/174,026 filed Jun. 18, 2002, the entire contents of which isincorporated herein by reference, which claims priority to U.S.Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/312,281, filed Aug. 14, 2001,entitled “METHOD FOR USING AIN TO DELIVER WIRELINE CALLER ID TOTEXT/ALPHA NUMERIC PAGERS AS WELL AS OTHER WIRELESS DEVICES UTILIZINGLANDLINES.” This application filed Dec. 20, 2000, entitled “SYSTEM ANDMETHOD FOR MONITORING INCOMING COMMUNICATIONS TO A TELECOMMUNICATIONSDEVICE,” which is incorporated herein by reference. This applicationfiled the same day as the present application by Bedingfield, entitled“METHOD FOR USING AIN TO DELIVER CALLER ID TO TEXT/ALPHA-NUMERIC PAGERSAS WELL AS OTHER WIRELESS DEVICES, FOR CALLS DELIVERED TO WIRELESSNETWORKS” the disclosure of which is also incorporated herein byreference.

NOTICE OF COPYRIGHT PROTECTION

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document and its figurescontain material subject to copyright protection. The copyright ownerhas no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patentdocument or the patent disclosure, but otherwise reserves all copyrightswhatsoever.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to the field of communications. Moreparticularly, this invention manages detailed information about allincoming communications to a landline communications device, such as aresidential phone connected to the Public Switch Telephone Network(PSTN), and delivers this information to a wireless communicationsdevice, such as an alphanumeric pager.

2. Description of the Related Art

The field of telecommunications has experienced explosive growth, andmore growth is planned as telecommunication access and numerouscommunication devices improve. This explosive growth is revolutionizingmessage notification and similar services. For example, U.S. Pat. No.6,006,087 discloses a method and system for delivering a voice mailnotification of a voice message left on a subscriber's wireless servicenetwork. When a message is left in a subscriber's mailbox assigned tothe subscriber's cellular phone, the voice mail system generates a voicemail notification that includes a calling number, the name of thecalling party, and an index listing various messages so that asubscriber can scroll through the messages and choose a desired messageto retrieve and play. The voice mail notification is forwarded to anddisplayed by the cellular phone operated by a subscriber.

In today's telecommunications world, it is commonplace for subscribersto have multiple wired (i.e., landline) and wireless communicationsdevices connected to various global telecommunications networks. Forexample, a subscriber may have a first phone number assigned to aresidential landline telephone, a second phone number assigned to abusiness telephone, a third phone number assigned to a mobile phone, anda fourth phone number assigned to a wireless paging device. Thus, manysubscribers have multiple wired and wireless devices with each devicehaving a different phone number and with each device connected todifferent messaging systems and to different communications networks.

When an incoming communication is placed to a particular communicationsdevice, a subscriber typically has no way of knowing about that incomingcommunication if the subscriber is away from the communications device.Using a conventional approach, when a message is left on a messagingsystem assigned to a particular communication device, the messagingsystem causes the associated communications network to set the messagewaiting indicator on the called communications device; however, it isincapable of setting detailed messaging information on the subscriber'sother additional communications devices (wired and wireless). Forexample, when a message is left on a subscriber's mobile phone messagingnetwork, the subscriber's paging device is incapable of providingdetailed messaging information associated with the message left on themobile phone messaging network. Since the purpose of having multiplecommunication devices is to allow a subscriber to maintain constantcommunication, conventional approaches fall short by not being able toprovide the ability to deliver detailed messaging information across allcommunication devices. Within the prior art, subscribers have attemptedto overcome this deficiency by utilizing a feature in voice mail systemsreferred to as outbound calling. An outbound calling feature allows asubscriber to designate a telephone number (that may be assigned to adifferent communications device) that is dialed by the voice mail systemduring a fixed time period if a message is waiting for the subscriber inthe voice mail system.

Using this approach, subscribers have also designated pagers' phonenumbers as the number to be called for the outbound calling, or, havedesignated the telephone number of a wireless or landline telephone. Oneproblem associated with designating a pager as the device to be calledby the outbound calling is that it requires a subscriber to carry both apager to receive a general notification and a cellular phone to receivethe detailed information. One problem associated with directing callsfrom the outbound calling feature to a wireless phone or a landlinephone is that the subscriber may not wish to access or to be bothered byall detailed message notifications.

In addition to receiving real-time information related to messagesreceived and stored in a voice mail system, A subscriber may also desireto know about all incoming communications to a communications device,such as a residential telephone. For example, a subscriber may desire toknow if an incoming communication is being answered, if it receives abusy signal, if it is terminated, if it is forwarded to a differentcommunications device (i.e., there currently isn't any way for asubscriber to know about all incoming communications when a line isringing, answered, busy, etc., with detailed call information).

Subscribers away from their homes would like a way to know who hascalled them and whether or not that caller left a message. A subscribercan obtain this information in a proactive way by calling their voicemail systems/answering machines at will and determining whether thereare any messages. However, this does not provide a complete list of whohas called them, just who left a message. Some Customer PremisesEquipment (CPE) is capable of paging a subscriber when an incoming callarrives, but this is limited to a pre-programmed set of callers theywish to be notified about. CPE is used to refer to equipment that acustomer connects to the telephone system. Moreover, CPE does notannounce the Calling Name delivery (CNAM) and Caller Identification (ID)because of the expense involved in doing so. Also, the duration of acall that does not terminate at the customer's premises is unknown bythe CPE (for example, the call went to voice mail).

Thus, there is a current need for systems and methods for selecting,retrieving, storing, and managing detailed information related to allincoming communications to and all outgoing communications from alandline communications device. There is a further need to efficientlydeliver this information to a remote communications device in order toprovide real time and quasi-real time detailed message notification andsimilar information. There is still a further need to forward thecommunication or its equivalent to the remote communications device.Finally, there is a need to harmonize such information associated withmultiple landline communications devices using different messagingsystems.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To overcome these problems, the present invention provides easy,reliable, and efficient methods and systems for detailed informationrelated to all incoming communications to, and all outgoingcommunications from, a landline communications device, such as aresidential phone connected to the Public Switch Telephone Network(PSTN), and delivers this information to a wireless communicationsdevice, such as an alphanumeric or interactive pager. Further, thisinvention includes a system that manages all detailed call informationrelated to all incoming communications to a landline communicationsdevice and manages how this information is delivered and presented tothe remote communications device. In an embodiment, the remote callnotification is delivered in real-time or in quasi real-time, asdelivery speed to the remote communications device varies depending uponthe delivery medium. The remote call notification may be automaticallyforwarded to the remote communications device upon the arrival ortermination of a new incoming communication. Alternatively, the remotecall notification may be forwarded to the remote communications deviceusing rules established by a subscriber, a calling party, a forwardingparty, an administrator, and by other constraints (e.g., availabilityand load of the communications link to the remote communicationsdevice).

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a newtelecommunications service referred to as Caller ID Anywhere (CIDA)(also referred to as Calling Name Anywhere or Remote Caller ID). Inbrief, this service allows a customer to obtain calling number and name,date & time of call, and call outcome information away from thetelephone to be monitored. The service actually consists of two maincomponents: Remote Call Notification (RCN), and Remote Call Log (RCL).

In one embodiment, the RCN service delivers information of an incomingcall in quasi real time (delivery speed depending on the deliverymedium). The information is sent automatically upon the arrival and/ortermination of a new call. The information about the incoming call canbe delivered as a web page, as an e-mail, as a Short Messaging Service(SMS) message, etc. If the information is delivered via an e-mail, thenotification can be sent to an e-mail account, alphanumeric pager,interactive pager, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), and given properprocessing to an SMS-capable phone. If the information is delivered viaa web page, more than one call state can be reported, e.g., ringing,answered, busy, hang up. The call information consists of the name andnumber of the caller (if available), date and time of the call, as wellas additional information if available.

In one embodiment, the RCL service consists of a log of recent(completed) calls. The information in the call log can be sent to thesubscriber automatically (periodically), but in most cases, thesubscriber retrieves the information as desired. As with the RCNservice, the call log includes essential call information such as thename and number of the caller, as well as the date and time of the call.Additional information, such as the length of each call, can also beincluded if available. The delivery methods for the call log informationare the same as with the RCN service. In addition, the RCL serviceincludes a voice interface so that subscribers can retrieve call loginformation by dialing a telephone number. Call log information can beretrieved for the current day, previous day, etc.

In one embodiment, the services emphasize delivery of quasi-real timecalling party information to an interactive pager (in the form of ane-mail), or to a PC client, which in turn provides an Internet callwaiting like pop-up web page. In addition, the service allowssubscribers to request and receive call log data through interactivepagers, web pages, e-mail, and through their telephone (using anetwork-based Interactive Voice Response (IVR/XML) interface or VoiceExtensible Markup Language (VXML interface). The subscriber is able toconfigure interactively his/her Caller ID Anywhere service through a PC.In addition, the subscriber is able to set or to request configurationchanges through a service representative.

In a preferred embodiment, this invention detects an incomingcommunication, such as a phone call, on a communications link to asubscriber's communications device, such as a residential phone. Once anincoming message is detected, this invention creates a remote callnotification that includes detailed information about the incomingcommunication. For example, the detailed information may include: (a) acalling number; (b) a name of a calling party associated with thecalling number; (c) time identifiers that provide the times when theincoming communication is first detected and is terminated; (d) a lengthidentifier that provides the length of the incoming communication; (e) adate identifier that provides the date that the incoming communicationis received; (f) a status identifier that provides a real-time status ofthe incoming communication; (g) a disposition identifier; and (e) apriority identifier that indicates the importance of the incomingcommunication.

The status identifier indicates a real-time or quasi real-time status ofthe incoming communication into the network of the subscriber'scommunications device. For example, if the subscriber's communicationsdevice is a residential phone connected to the PSTN, then theterminating switch in conjunction with the service control point (SCP)can report the following status identifier's: (a) ringing, (b) answered,(c) busy, and (d) disconnected.

The disposition identifier provides information about the remotenotification itself. For example, the disposition identifier canindicate that a remote call notification is “new” and that a subscriberhas not reviewed the details of the incoming communication. Otherexamples of the disposition identifier include: (a) stored, (b) deleted,(c) restored, (d) forwarded, and (e) system administration. To savenetwork storage, the deleted disposition identifier may optionally onlybe available for a set amount of time after a remote call notificationis deleted (e.g., after 10 days) or for a certain number of remote callnotifications that are deleted (after 10 remote call notifications aredeleted).

This invention stores access addresses for one or more remotecommunications devices to receive the remote call notification. Theremote communications device is any communications device capable ofdelivering remote call notification to a subscriber, such as, forexample, a landline phone, mobile phone, a cellular phone, a satellitephone, a computer, a modem, a pager, an interactive pager, a personaldigital assistant (PDA), and an interactive television. An exemplaryembodiment of an access address for a computer may be a TCP/IP address,an instant messaging screen name, or an e-mail address.

The access address to be used may be determined using a number ofdifferent methods. For example, the access address used for a particularcall may be selected by a subscriber's preferences, by a calling party'spreferences, by a forwarding party's preferences, by an administrator ofthe communications network storing the remote call notification, or bythe communication capabilities of the remote communications device(e.g., a calling party leave a video clip message and the networkforwards it to a remote communication device capable of displaying thevideo clip, such as, for example, a PDA with appropriate display).

After a call is received and an access address is assigned, the remotecall notification is forwarded through a communications network, such asthe Public Switch Telephone Network or wireless data network, to theremote communications device. The remote call notification is presentedto the remote communications device in a subscriber-friendly format,such as, for example, an audio format, a text format, a short messageservice (SMS) format, a video format, or a markup language documentformat. Alternatively, a voice interface may be created so that asubscriber of a remote communication device receives a remote callnotification and can retrieve more information about the remote callnotification by dialing a phone number.

This invention also allows a subscriber of the remote communicationsdevice to scroll through a plurality of remote call notifications (i.e.,a log of remote call notifications), to select a particular remote callnotification to retrieve an associated communications message (e.g., avoice mail associated with the remote call notification), and to presentthe communications message on the remote communications device (e.g.,play the sound annotation of the voice mail). The communications messageis presented in a subscriber-friendly format, such as, for example, anaudio format, a text format, a Short Message Service (SMS) format, avideo format, or a markup language document format.

Thus, this invention allows real-time remote call notification that isflexible to telecommunications subscribers having multiplecommunications devices, including multiple wireless communicationsdevice. This invention notifies a subscriber of all incomingcommunications, provides detailed information about each incomingcommunication, allows a subscriber to manage each incomingcommunication, and provides an option to retrieve and play each incomingcommunication to a remote communications device.

This invention allows a subscriber to always know about incomingcommunications even if the line was busy, multiple calls were receivedat the same time, and if the caller hung up before the call wasanswered. This invention allows small business subscribers to alwaysknow who called and when. Further, this service is useful forsubscribers that do not like to check their voicemail often unless it isan important message, especially when calling long distance to checktheir voicemail.

To summarize the primary benefits, this invention: (1) allowssubscribers to know who calls them virtually anywhere; (2) allows asubscriber to obtain information from incoming calls in real-time; (3)allows a subscriber to access a call log of recent calls; (4) indicateswho called (name & number) and when (date & time), as well as certaincall dispositions (answered, length of call, busy, call abandoned,voicemail left); (5) allows a subscriber to receive information aboutincoming calls using different devices (e.g., pagers, mobile phones, webbrowsers, personal computers, PDAs, etc.); and (6) allows a subscriberto customize useful configuration options (e.g., priority and filter-outnumbers, caller information delivery based on call outcome, etc.).

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the methods andsystems for using an AIN to deliver caller ID to wireless devices, forcalls delivered to landline networks, are better understood when thefollowing Detailed Description of the Invention is read with referenceto the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating call flow through communication devicesin accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the Caller ID Anywhere (CIDA)service system architecture for a wireline system in accordance with anexemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating call flow for call notification inaccordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosedherein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodimentsare merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in variousand alternative forms. Specific structural and functional detailsdisclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as abasis for the claims as a representative basis for teaching one skilledin the art to variously employ the present invention. Conventionalhardware and systems are shown in block diagram form and process stepsare shown in flowcharts.

The term “calling party” is used herein generally to refer to the personor device that initiates a telecommunication. The calling party may alsobe referred to herein as “caller.” In some examples, the calling partymay not be a person, but may be a device such as a facsimile machine, ananswering machine, a modem, etc. The term “called party” is used hereingenerally to refer to the person or device that answers or responds tothe call or communication. The term “communication” is used herein toinclude all messages or calls that may be exchanged between a callingparty and a called party, including, voice, video, and data messages.The term “communication” is used synonymously herein with the term“call” unless a distinction is noted. The term “subscriber” is usedherein to generally refer to a subscriber of the describedtelecommunications service. The term “Internet” refers to both theInternet and an intranet, unless a distinction is noted. Similarly, theterm “Internet-accessible device” refers to a data communications devicethat has the capability to access the Internet or an intranet.

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a newtelecommunications service referred to as Caller ID Anywhere (CIDA)(also referred to as Calling Name Anywhere or Remote Caller ID). Inbrief, this service allows a customer to obtain calling number and name,date & time of call, and call outcome information away from thetelephone to be monitored. The service actually consists of two maincomponents: Remote Call Notification (RCN), and Remote Call Log(RCL).

In one embodiment, the RCN service delivers information of an incomingcall in quasi real time (delivery speed depending on the deliverymedium). The information is sent automatically upon the arrival and/ortermination of a new call. The information about the incoming call canbe delivered as a web page, as an e-mail, as a Short Messaging Service(SMS) message, etc. If the information is delivered via an e-mail, thenotification can be sent to an e-mail account, alphanumeric pager,interactive pager, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), and given properprocessing to an SMS-capable phone. If the information is delivered viaa web page, more than one call state can be reported, e.g., ringing,answered, busy, hang up. The call information consists of the name andnumber of the caller (if available), date and time of the call, as wellas additional information if available.

In one embodiment, the RCL service consists of a log of recent calls.The information in the call log can be sent to the subscriberautomatically (periodically), but in most cases, the subscriberretrieves the information as desired. As with the RCN service, the calllog includes essential call information such as the name and number ofthe caller, as well as the date and time of the call. Additionalinformation, such as the length of each call, can also be included ifavailable. The delivery methods for the call log information are thesame as with the RCN service. In addition, the RCL service includes avoice interface so that subscribers can retrieve call log information bydialing a telephone number. Call log information can be retrieved forthe current day, previous day, etc.

Briefly, the Caller ID Anywhere service of the present invention worksin the following way. For call notification, a subscriber receives acall to his/her phone. The service checks to determine how the customerdesires to be notified about the call, namely, via interactive pager,e-mail, and/or via a web page that pops-up in the subscriber's computerscreen. If notification is to occur via interactive pager (e-mail), theservice waits until the call ends and then sends a page (aspecially-formatted e-mail) to the interactive pager. If notification isto occur via PC, the service opens a window on the designated PC, whichthe subscriber has designated beforehand. Up to several PC updates maybe sent per call event: one as soon as a new call is received; anotherwhen the phone is answered or it is determined that the line is busy;and one when the call ends, indicating the final outcome of the call(e.g., voice-mail left or call length). The PC window may be activatedusing special CIDA client software, or using java-based browserinterface.

For call log requests, a subscriber can request call log information atany time. To retrieve call logs using an interactive pager, a subscribersends an e-mail to a predefined address. The e-mail contains a commandto specify the record(s) to be retrieved. If a web browser is used, thesubscriber logs into a web page for the service and requests the desiredrecord(s). A subscriber also has the option of calling a number and thenfollowing instructions for the retrieval of the call record(s), eitherby listening to the record(s), or by requesting that the record(s) besent to a fax number.

According to one embodiment, the systems of the present inventionutilize the intelligent functionality of an Advanced Intelligent Network(AIN). An AIN is a network used in conjunction with a conventionaltelephone network, such as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN),to provide enhanced voice, video, and data services and dynamic routingcapabilities.

Referring to FIG. 1, looking at the CIDA service of the presentinvention briefly, the service allows subscribers to know who calls themno matter where the subscriber is located. The service allows asubscriber to obtain information regarding incoming calls from a callerdevice 20 in real-time, or quasi real-time, and have access to a calllog of recent calls. The service indicates who called (name and number)a subscriber telephone 22 and when (date and time), as well as certaincall dispositions (answered, length of call, busy, call abandoned, andvoice-mail left). The caller information is accessed using a number ofsubscriber devices, such as an personal computer 24, an interactivepager 26, a personal digital assistant (PDA) 28, a mobile telephone 30,etc.

Referring to FIG. 2, in one embodiment, call-processing architecture inwhich the CIDA service of the present invention is provided to wirelinesubscribers is shown. The main hardware/software components of the CIDAservice include a home Central Office (CO) 40, Service Control Point(SCP) 42, CIDA server 44, Data Sniffer 46, VMS interface 47, ServiceSwitching Point (SSP) 60, and an Intelligent Peripheral, such as aCompact Service Node (CSN) 48.

The home CO 40 of the subscriber's line is equipped with a TerminationAttempt Trigger (TAT) 50, or any other suitable terminating trigger,such as a Public Office Dialing Plan (PODP) for a trunk. A TAT 50 (orpotentially, a PODP trigger) is provisioned on the subscriber's line.Upon receiving a call, the TAT 50 fires and the switch requestsinstructions from the SCP 42 as to how to proceed with the call. The SCP42 responds with an authorize termination. The SCP 42 requests from theswitch that it is notified about subsequent changes in the call state(i.e., busy, answer, disconnect) as soon as these happen. When a changein the call state occurs, the home switch notifies the SCP 42immediately. The SCP 42 handles queries from the TAT 50. The SCP 42, bycommunicating with the subscriber's CO 40, keeps track of call events onthe subscriber's line and notifies the CIDA server 44 appropriately. TheSCP 42 responds to the TAT 50 query with an authorize termination andinstructs the switch to be notified whenever there is a change in thestatus of the call (e.g. it requests termination notification). The SCP42 is also aware of the different possible status of a call, namely,ringing, busy, answer, and disconnect. Whenever there is a change in thestatus of the call, the SCP 42 sends a message to the associated CIDAserver 44 to notify this change. The SCP 42 is provisioned one-time withthe CIDA server IP address, assuming TCP/IP connectivity 52 is used. Foreach new subscriber, the SCP 42 is provisioned with the new subscribernumber and any pertinent additional information so that the SCP 42 canrespond to the TAT 50 query. Also, the SCP 42 generates measurementswhich may need to be retrieved periodically.

The CIDA server 44 serves as web host for the CIDA service, keepingsubscriber information as well as all call records. All callnotifications originate from the CIDA server 44. The CIDA server 44 alsohandles and serves all requests for call log information fromsubscribers. The CIDA server 44 also communicates with the CSN 48, andreceives data from the voice mail system, either directly over a custominterface 47, or indirectly using a Data Sniffer 46. The CIDA server 44is the main component of the CIDA service. In brief, the CIDA server 44is a data repository, web server, administration server, CSN server, ande-mail server. The CIDA server 44 receives and processes call stateupdates from the SCP 42, receives and processes voice-mail notificationsfrom the Voice Mail interface 47 or Data Sniffer 46, updates the DataSniffer 46 with information about phone numbers that need to beremoved/added from its “to monitor” list, performs administrativefunctions for subscribers, returns queries for call log information backto the subscriber with the appropriate data (queries in the form ofemails or queries through a web page), and notifies subscribers ofpertinent call events according to the device(s) that are specified bythe subscriber. At a minimum, the CIDA server 44 is provisioned with thetelephone numbers for the CIDA subscriptions. Also, depending upon thesubscribers' preferences, parameters may be provisioned as well whenentering a new subscriber, such as devices 54 and their electronicaddresses that are supported for call notification and call log(e.g.,interactive pagers, e-mail accounts) in addition to a web browser, andmaximum call log capacity if an active subscriber has requested anexpanded call log.

The CSN 48 is used to provide an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) orVoice Extensible Markup Language (VXML) interface for retrieving calllog information. The CSN 48 allows subscribers of the CIDA service toobtain call log information over the phone. For each session (i.e., foreach call to the CSN 48), the CSN 48 is in constant communication andrequests subscriber data from the CIDA server 44. The CSN 48 verifiesthat the calling party is calling from the subscribed phone and has theproper Personal Identification Number (PIN). The CSN 48 also allows asubscriber to check the call log or to request that a call log be sentto a fax number. The CSN 48 asks the subscriber which log is to beplayed/sent (e.g., today's, yesterday's, or for a specific day). Asubscriber is able to fast forward, skip back or forward, or even erasecall log entries. Call log entries may be erased for the IVR/VXMLinterface. Erased call log entries may be erased for convenience for theIVR/VXML interface, but may still be available over the Internet. Up toabout 100 caller records may be retrieved over the IVR/VXML interface.The IVR/VXML interface also has an option that allows a subscriber toprovide a fax number where call log information can be sent. Aside frominitial service provider access and load and communication with the CIDAserver 44, no additional provisioning is required.

The Data Sniffer 46 is attached to Inter-switch Simplified Message DeskInterface (ISMDI) links 56 of the Voice-Mail Service (VMS) platforms 58that serve an appropriate region. The Data Sniffer 46 monitors, at alltimes, the ISMDI links 56 from the voice-mail platforms 58. The DataSniffer 46 notifies the CIDA server 44 when it “sees” that a voice-mailplatform 58 is notifying a home switch to turn on voice-mail waitingnotification for a specific subscriber. With this information, the CIDAserver 44 is able to deduce when a recently terminated call resulted ina voice-mail. The Data Sniffer 46 is a computer that is installed tomonitor the traffic in the ISMDI links 56 of voice-mail platforms 58that serve the CIDA service area. The ISMDI links 56 carry the messagefrom voice-mail platforms 58 to voice-mail subscriber home switches toindicate that a new voice-mail message has arrived. The Data Sniffer 46receives periodic updates from the CIDA server 44 on what phone numbersto monitor, and what phone numbers no longer need to be monitored. TheData Sniffer 46 also constantly analyzes the traffic on the ISMDI link56. Upon finding a number that matches its “to monitor” list, it thensends a message to the CIDA server 44. The Data Sniffer 46 sends onemessage to the CIDA server 44 every time it finds a matching phonenumber. The SCP 42 supplies the Data Sniffer 46 with a list of numbersto be monitored. When a Data Sniffer 46 detects that a phone number thatmatches any entry in its “to watch list” is being sent through the link,the Data Sniffer 46 notifies the SCP 42 immediately about this event.Aside from initial service provider access and load and communicationwith the CIDA server 44, no additional provisioning is required.

In an alternative embodiment, the functions of the Data Sniffer 46 maybe implemented more effectively in the voice mail platform. In thisconfiguration, the voice mail platform communicates new voice mailinformation (calling number, message indicator, length of massage, etc.)directly to the CIDA server 44. In this configuration, the Data Sniffer46 is not needed.

Once the CIDA service of the present invention is provisioned on asubscriber's line, the CIDA server 44 automatically begins logging callsto the subscriber's line. CIDA functions and options may be initiallyset to an initial default level of monitoring. Multiple methods areprovided to administer the whole or parts of the service. Using theservice for the first time, a subscriber can access a CIDA webadministration page, or can call a service representative to set up andstart the service.

The different interfaces needed for the CIDA service include RCN andRCL. The RCN interface includes: (1) a web or PC client page thatnotifies a subscriber of a new call, the interface presents data and mayoffer a number of action buttons; (2) an interactive pager notificationfor the presentation of data in e-mail; and (3) web page-basedadministration of the service, which is accomplished using acomprehensive interface that allows the subscriber to control andcustomize the RCN service. The RCL interface includes: (1) a web pagethat provides several options (e.g., numbers to filter, time window,etc.) for the display of call log data; and (2) a touchtone-basedinterface for playing call log data using an IVR/VXML. The interfacealso provides an option to request that call records be sent to a faxmachine.

Referring to FIG. 3, call flows for call notification, a calling partyfirst calls a number that subscribes to the CIDA Service in Step 100.When call setup reaches the final CO 40 (the home switch for thatsubscriber), a TAT 50 for that number is triggered in Step 102. A queryis then sent to the SCP 42 in Step 104. In Step 106, the SCP 42 respondsto the switch authorizing termination, and in addition, requests ananswer and termination notification. In Step 108, the SCP 42 then sendsa message to the CIDA server 44 immediately notifying the server 44 of anew call arrival. In Step 110, as soon as the SCP 42 hears from theswitch about a change in the status of the call (answered, call dropped,disconnect, busy), the SCP 42 notifies the CIDA server 44 of a change instatus. In Step 112, when the CIDA server 44 is notified of a new call,the CIDA server 44 checks the administration records of the subscriberto determine if the server 44 is required to notify a device 54 (quasireal-time) of the new call arrival. If so, in Step 114, the CIDA server44 sends a message to the subscriber's pre-determined personal computer24 so that the computer 24 can open a window describing the new call.The changes in status of a call may result in additional messages beingsent by the CIDA server 44. In Step 116, the end of a call can result ina message being sent to the subscriber's previously selected device 54(e.g., interactive pager, e-mail, SMS phone, etc.). The CIDA server 44can also receive messages from the Data Sniffer 46 or VMS interface 47in order to determine if a recently ended call resulted in a voice-mailleft for the subscriber.

A subscriber can retrieve call log information by either accessing anInternet-connected device (e.g., computer with web browser, interactivepage, SMS phone, etc.), or, by calling a phone number that provides anIVR/XML interface for the retrieval of the call log information. Theretrieval of call log information data through an Internet-connecteddevice generally does not require making a phone call specifically forthis purpose. Rather, the subscriber is able to request data byaccessing a web site and “clicking” for the desired information, or bysending a request by other means, e.g., by sending an e-mail with acommand to request this data.

If a subscriber desires to retrieve call log information via phone,he/she can call a phone number that terminates on a CSN 48. The CSN 48includes an IVR/VXML interface that is operable for aiding a caller innavigating different options when retrieving call log information. Also,the IVR/XML main menu may provide a “fax option”. For this option, thesubscriber may enter a phone number, and call log information isautomatically faxed to this number.

Administrative functions for the CIDA service can be performed from aweb browser by accessing a CIDA administration page, the IVR/VXMLinterface (only pertinent to call log retrieval through the IVR/VXMLinterface, including FAX requests), and an interactive pager in the formof specially formatted e-mails (e-mail-based administration will onlyaffect call notification and call log retrieval through the interactivepager).

In order to access the web-based administration page, a subscriber needsto enter the subscribed phone number as well as a PIN. At a minimum, asubscriber will find the following functions and options available: (1)the ability to turn the whole CIDA service “ON” or “OFF”. Default is“OFF”; (2) the ability to change a PIN; (3) there will be columns foreach supported device (interactive pager, PC, e-mail); (4) pull-downmenus that list when the service should be “ON”: e.g., standard (alltimes), weekdays only (Mo-Fr), weekends only (Sa, Su), notification forparticular device “OFF” (default); (5) a field that allows a subscriberto change his/her e-mail address; (6) for the interactive pager ande-mail columns, the subscriber can set a checkmark so that callnotification will occur depending upon the call event detected (e.g.answered calls, unanswered calls, busy calls, and calls that resulted invoice-mail). The default setting is that all of these boxes will bechecked; (7) for the PC column, the subscriber can set a checkmark sothat notifications(s) can occur as soon as the following call events aredetected: 1) Ringing, 2) Call Answered, 3) Busy detected, 4) Hang up, 5)Voice-mail detected. The default setting is that all of these boxes willbe checked; (8) the ability to set “priority numbers” for each device.When a call is received from a priority number, it overrides thesettings in 6 & 7, and the notification is allowed. Also, for numbersentered that have less than 10 digits, a wildcard character, such as“*”, can be assumed at the end of the last digit; and (9) the ability toset “filter-out numbers” for each device. When a call is received from afilter-out number, no notification is sent to the device. The wildcardcharacters mentioned above can also be applicable for filter-outnumbers.

The call log administration page can be accessed through the callnotification administration page. This paragraph presents examples ofthe controls that are available for subscribers that want the log to besent to their interactive pager or to a specific e-mail address. At aminimum, the following functions and options are available to thesubscriber for both the interactive pager and the specific e-mailaddress: (1) the ability to change the e-mail address (not available forinteractive pagers); (2) the ability to set a “filter-out number” foreach device. These are numbers that are used to filter-out the call logrecords before they are sent. Wildcard characters “*” and “?” can alsobe used; (3) the ability to set the maximum number of records that canbe sent; (4) the ability to set “show-only number”. When this option ischosen, only records that contain the “show-only number” are sent.Wildcard characters “*” and “?” can also be used; and (5) the ability toset the following delivery options: 1) Now, 2) Daily (and time), Weekly(what day Mo-Su and time), and Monthly (what day and time).

A small number of administration functions are provided for subscribersthat use an IVR/VXML interface, such as password change and fax numberchange (where the call log can be sent). Administration functions arealso provided to subscribers that receive call notification and/or calllogs through their pager. The administration functions execute bysending an e-mail from the registered pager or e-mail address to thee-mail addresses that delivers the call notifications and the call logs,which includes a simple command in the subject line. For multiplecommands, the body of the e-mail may be used. All commands sent, ifproperly executed, receive a confirmation. A sample of commands that canbe sent are as follows:

For Call Notification:

-   NOTIFICATION [ON, OFF, WEEKDAY, WEEKEND] (blank returns current    ON/OFF state of notification service)-   FILTEROUT [numbers(s)]-   CANCEL FILTEROUT [number(s)] (blank will delete all current    filter-out numbers)-   PRIORITY [numbers(s)]-   CANCEL PRIORITY [NUMBERS(S)] (blank will delete all current priority    numbers)    For Call Log:-   LOG LIMIT [number]-   SEND LOG [TODAY, YESTERDAY, MM/DD/YY] (blank sends current call log    up to maximum number of records specified in LOG LIMIT]-   FILTEROUT [number(s)]-   CANCEL FILTEROUT [number(s)] (blank will delete all current    filter-out numbers)-   SHOW ONLY [number(s)]-   CANCEL SHOW ONLY [numbers(s)] (blank will delete all current    priority numbers)

When PC-based call notification has been set, a pop-up window may appearon the screen according to the settings described above. For a givencall, there may be several windows displayed on the screen,corresponding to: call ringing, call busy, call answered, calldisconnect, voice-mail left. Each new screen may replace the previousscreen. The notifications are sent as soon as the call event isdetected, so that if possible, notifications will appear in real-time.Depending upon the call state, the name and number of the caller(“Private” or “Unknown” may appear instead when the calling number isblocked or unknown), the date and time of event, and the call state (ifthe call state is “disconnect”, the total call time will be displayed aswell) may be displayed on the screen.

General controls may also appear under the screen, such as “Close” whichcloses the window, “View Log” which opens web page, “Suspend” whichsuspends the delivery of call notification information; this buttonafter pressed may be replaced with “Resume”, and “Edit” which brings upthe call notification administration page.

For interactive pager or e-mail notification, only the “last state” ofthe call (i.e. busy, disconnect, or voice-mail left) may be reported. Inaddition to the “last state”, and as described above, the name andnumber of the caller as well as the date and time of the event isrecorded. If the calling number is blocked or unknown, then “Private” or“Unknown” may appear instead of the calling name and number. Forexample, for calls which last more than 6 minutes, a notification may besent indicating that the length of the call is over 6 minutes. Thisdescription may be used instead of a description of the last state ofthe call.

In one embodiment, for each subscriber, an internal database keeps callrecords. For example, for high call volume subscribers, the last onethousand or so calls may be recorded to the subscriber number. For lowcall volume subscribers, for example, only about one hundred records maybe recorded to the subscriber number. Old call records may be deletedaccording to a first-in first-out (FIFO) discipline. Call log retrievalfunctions (through either the web, IVR/VXML interface, pager, or e-mail)are not affected by the number of records stored in the database. Thecall log displays the final state of the call. The information for eachrecord consists of the name and number of the caller, (“Private” or“Unknown” may appear instead when the calling number is blocked orunknown), the date and time when the call was received, the date andtime when the call ended, and the final outcome of call: abandoned,answered, busy, voicemail, etc. For answered and voice-mail calls, thetotal time of the call may be appended.

Calls may be ordered according to the date and time when the call wasreceived. For calls that are longer than 6 minutes, for example, aprovisional record is created when the call reaches the 6 minute mark.This record is updated later when the call ends. For call log retrievalthrough the web, a scrollable window with all of the available callrecords is provided. The following filter controls are available so thatthe subscriber can narrow the number of records that are displayed(these filters are set to OFF by default): (1) call record extraction bydate: From mm/dd/yy at hh to mm/dd/yy at hh; (2) show only numbers(wildcard characters “*” and “?” are allowed); (3) filter-out numbers(wildcard characters “*” and “?” are allowed); and (4) show calls withthe following outcome: abandoned, answered, busy, voice-mail, etc.

Subscribers can retrieve call log information by calling a designatednumber. The subscriber is able to retrieve the call log for “Today”,“Yesterday”, or for a specific date. The call log information includesthe name and number of the caller and the date and time of the call. Ifthere is more than one call from a given number, there is an indicationabout the number of calls that have been received by this number, andonly the date and the time of the last call is reported. In other wordsthe behavior is similar to that of a conventional caller ID box. If thecalling number is blocked or unknown, then “Private” or “Unknown” isreported to the caller. To save time during future calls, thesubscriber, while listening to the call record, is able to “delete” callrecords. The deletion of these records only affects the IVR/VXMLinterface, since the records that reside in the CIDA server 44 are notaffected.

In one embodiment, call log information received through an interactivepager or e-mail includes the same information as the call records thatare viewed using a web browser, such as the name and number of thecaller, the date and time when the call was received, the date and timewhen the call ended, and the final outcome of call. Records for busycalls only include the date and time when the call was received. Calllogs to a pager or e-mail address can be received automatically or canbe requested, also, certain filters can be used to narrow the amount ofcall records that are requested.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described indetail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that thedisclosed embodiments may be modified. Therefore, the foregoingdescription is to be considered exemplary rather than limiting, and thetrue scope of the invention is that defined in the following claims.

1. A remote call notification system, comprising: a switch operable fordetecting an incoming communication on a communications link to asubscriber's wireline communication device, wherein the switch is incommunication with the wireline communication device by thecommunications link; a network element in communication with the switchoperable for monitoring the status of the incoming communication; anintelligent server in communication with the network element operablefor originating a remote call notification, the remote call notificationsent to a remote communications device upon detection of the incomingcommunication, wherein the remote call notification comprises: a firsttime identifier that provides the time that the incoming communicationis first detected, and a priority identifier that indicates theimportance of the incoming communication; and a monitoring module incommunication with the intelligent server operable for monitoringtraffic in a communications network of voice-mail platforms that servethe intelligent server service area; wherein the intelligent serverprovides administrative functions for the subscriber, the administrativefunctions including disabling types of remote call notifications to besent to the remote communications device, the disabling of types ofremote call notifications being overridden in the event that a call isfrom a priority number.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein functions ofthe intelligent server further comprise one of the following: servingsubscriber requests for call log information, updating the module,performing administrative functions for the subscriber, returningqueries for the call log information with appropriate data, andnotifying the subscriber of pertinent call events according to theremote communications device specified by the subscriber.
 3. The systemof claim 1, further comprising: means for presenting the remote callnotification to the remote communications device in a format, whereinthe format comprises one of the following: an audio format, a textformat, a short message format, a video format, and a markup languageformat.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote communicationsdevice comprises one of the following: a mobile telephone, a landlinetelephone, a computer, a pager, and a personal digital assistant.
 5. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the remote call notification is transceivedthrough the communications network to an access address associated withthe remote communications device using wireless communication signals.6. The system of claim 1, wherein the communications network comprisesone of the following: a celestial communications network and aterrestrial communications network.
 7. A remote call notificationmethod, comprising: detecting an incoming communication on acommunications link to a subscriber's communication device; creating aremote call notification, wherein said remote call notificationcomprises: a first time identifier that provides the time that theincoming communication is first detected, and a priority identifier thatindicates the importance of the incoming communication; assigning anaccess address associated with a remote communication device; forwardingthe remote call notification through a communications network to theaccess address associated with the remote communication device, theremote call notification forwarded upon detection of the incomingcommunication; creating a call log associated with the remote callnotification; and providing administrative functions for the subscriber,the administrative functions including disabling types of remote callnotifications to be sent to the remote communications device, thedisabling of types of remote call notifications being overridden in theevent that a call is from a priority number.
 8. The method of claim 7,further comprising: presenting the remote call notification to theremote communication device in a format, wherein the format comprisesone of the following: an audio format, a text format, a short messageformat, a video format, and a markup language format.
 9. The method ofclaim 7, wherein the remote communication device comprises one of thefollowing: a wireline phone, a wireless phone, a computer, a pager, anda personal digital assistant.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein thepager comprises an interactive pager capable of transceiving the remotecall notification.
 11. The method of claim 7, wherein the remote callnotification is transceived through the communications network to theaccess address associated with the remote communication device usingwireless communication signals.
 12. The method of claim 7, wherein thecommunications network comprises one of the following: a celestialcommunications network and a terrestrial communications network.
 13. Themethod of claim 7, further comprising: associating the access addresswith a plurality of communications devices.
 14. A remote callnotification system, comprising: a server detecting an incomingcommunication to a communications device; the server originating aremote communication notification and sending the remote communicationnotification to a remote communications device upon detection of theincoming communication, wherein the remote communication notificationcomprises: a time identifier that provides the time that the incomingcommunication is first detected, and a priority identifier thatindicates the importance of the incoming communication; and a monitoringmodule in communication with the server operable for monitoring trafficin a communications network of a mail platform; wherein the serverprovides administrative functions for the subscriber, the administrativefunctions including disabling types of remote call notifications to besent to the remote communications device, the disabling of types ofremote call notifications being overridden in the event that a call isfrom a priority number.
 15. The system of claim 14, wherein thecommunication is a call, and the mail platform is a voice-mail platform.16. The system of claim 14, wherein the server detects the incomingcommunication to a wireline communications device and sends the remotecommunication notification to the remote communications device includingat least one of a mobile telephone, a landline telephone, a computer, apager, and a personal assistant.
 17. The system of claim 14, whereinfunctions of the server further comprise at least one of the following:serving requests for communication log information, updating themonitoring module, performing administrative functions for a subscriberto the remote notification system, returning queries for thecommunication log information with appropriate data, and notifying thesubscriber of pertinent communication events according to the remotecommunications device specified by the subscriber.